


Family Ties

by some_fantastic



Category: The Following
Genre: Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-10
Updated: 2014-09-10
Packaged: 2018-02-16 19:57:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2282652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/some_fantastic/pseuds/some_fantastic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If there was one thing a Weston could do, it was hold a grudge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family Ties

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a post made by my friend on tumblr. Also some writing practice, as it's been a while since I've put anything out. :)

Funerals were a difficult affair. It felt like he’d been to so many in the recent past. Even worse were the military funerals - for friends of his dad's, or his brothers', or even his mom's. But there was nothing so bad as seeing the men in uniform surrounding the coffin that held his father's body and knowing that he was directly responsible for it.  _He'd_  been the one to hurt Luke Gray, and now his family was paying the price for it. If the guilt didn't kill him, something else surely would.

Which is why he really  _didn't_ want to be at the post-funeral reception. The house felt far too hot, crowded with black-cloaked figures. Mike was suffocating in the crowd, and had taken refuge in a corner of the living room while his relatives milled around him. Max and Ryan were nowhere to be found. Mike found himself staring at a hideous painting on the wall instead of talking to anyone. Maybe if he concentrated hard enough, he'd be able to disappear into it.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve, Mikey.”

Mike turned at the sound of the voice. He immediately tensed, squaring his shoulders. It was an old habit - a sign of respect. His oldest brother, Daniel, stood a few feet away. Almost as soon as they laid eyes on each other, an understanding was reached.  _Not in front of everyone else_.

"Yeah." Mike followed after his brother as Dan headed into one of the bedrooms. Away from the noise, he was even more aware of the sound of his heart pounding. Dan had always made him a little nervous; he'd been on the receiving end of too many pranks to ever really let his guard down. But that had been when they were kids, before Mike had gotten their dad killed.

"What makes you think it was a good idea to show up, huh? Come to pay your respects to Dad?"

"He's my father too. Look, Dan, I'm  _sorry_. I..." _Sometimes I get so scared I can't think straight. The only way it goes away is if I start lashing out. I'm so fucking_ tired _of all these people getting the better of us_. "You know what it's been like." Dan had been present for more than a few outbursts. One particularly nasty incident had left them both bruised and bleeding.

“I know, but don’t think that changes anything.” _You’re still the outsider. Still the youngest_. Daniel didn’t have to say it out loud; Mike could infer for himself. "You better be goddamn sorry."

Why had he been so naïve to think that this might change anything? If there was one thing a Weston could do, it was hold a grudge, and when he'd gone to the FBI instead of the Army, it had been a huge blow to the family tradition. His father hadn't ever gotten over it, and last year's kidnapping only seemed to further his insistence. You didn't have to worry about a fistfight to the death in the Army. You got kitted up and went out and shot other people like a  _civilized_ person.

"I _am_ sorry. I wish it had been me." He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "This isn't war, Danny. It's different. These people are unhinged. They-"

" _You're_ unhinged. They wouldn't tell us the whole story, but I know enough. Don't I? It's your fault he's dead. You snapped and pissed off the wrong person, and he paid the price for it. My  _family_ paid the price." _Mine, not yours_.

Mike recoiled, feeling like he'd been punched. Of course he noticed the distinction. Then again, he hadn't  _really_ been a part of the family since he'd (rather violently) refused to join the Army as soon as he graduated high school. He thought he'd been destined for better things. "Dan, believe me, I never wanted this to happen. I didn't think..."

Dan shook his head. The words were obvious, though he didn't say anything right away.  _Look at you, Mike. You've been fucking things up since you were a teenager_. "You've spent the last goddamn year off the rails. Every little thing would set you off, and it's fucking insane. But you wanted it. You  _wanted_ to go out and hunt crazy people. And Dad died because of you.” Dan took a step closer, grabbing a fistful of Mike’s tie. “You had to be different, didn’t you? You had to go out and be the cult hunter. You could have gone to the fort like all the rest of us. But instead you bring this shitstorm right to our door.”

“Danny–” Mike attempted to take a step back, lump growing in his throat. He didn't get far; the grip on his tie was still iron tight.

“Don’t,  _Michael_. You’re lucky we even let you in the house after all of this. This is your fault. Dad is  _dead_  because of you. Think about that while you’re holed up in your cozy little FBI office.” With a grunt, he shoved Mike away. “I'm done with you. Get out of our house. And if you’re smart, you won’t show your face around here until you're good and ready. Understand?”

At that moment, Mike could have sworn he felt his heart break. This was the final straw. There was no way his family was going to forgive him now. Dad had died before they’d gotten the chance to apologize to each other. Now they’d never be able to set things right. Most of his family already hated him. His brothers would probably throw him out if he tried to protest things. _Don’t cause a scene. Not after his funeral. You've done enough damage._

There was only one thing Dan could have meant.  _When you're good and ready_. __More like _w_ _hen you've finished off the bitch that killed our father_. Mike understood. Honour was a point of pride in their family. And Lily Gray's cult had committed the ultimate sin against them. It was up to him to rectify that.

“Look at me when you say it.”

The voice snapped Mike out of his thoughts. He gritted his teeth, looking Dan in the eyes for the first time since they'd started their conversation. “Yes sir,” he replied, voice tight. The order was clear enough. There was only one way to make it right. Nothing short of revenge would prompt his brothers to even acknowledge him again.

He was going to bring them Lily Gray’s head.


End file.
